To enhance the security of web-based pages, a variety of measures are often implemented. In some systems, upon attempting to access a secure website, a user may be prompted for a login which may include a username and/or a password.
Many webpages allow for a user to maintain a static password over time. Such static passwords, i.e., that remains the same over time, which may include a combination of ASKII characters, can be easy to hack if the password remains the same over time.
Alternatively, many website administrators have attempted to increase the security of their webpages by offering onetime passwords (“OTP”). For the purposes of this application, an OTP is a password that is only valid for one authentication process. OTPs can be used only once, and each authentication process requires a new OTP.
An OTP may allow for increased security by requiring a different password for each login attempt. An OTP is a constantly, or periodically, changing password. Because the password changes often, the user may be unaware of the password at any given moment. Such systems require the user to carry around a key fob, or other similar device, that displays the changing password.
Such a key fob typically includes a radio frequency receiver for receiving information for the current password.
To determine the password at a given point in time, the user is required to look at the key fob display for the current password.
At times, a user may require webpage access, and he may need his password to access the website. However, the user may be blocked from accessing the webpage because he does not possess the physical key fob at a certain time. Unfortunately, lack of possession of the key fob may waste time, cause missed appointments, and add frustration.
Additional disadvantages of the key fob can be illustrated, for example, upon the malfunctioning or loss of the key fob. Given the requirement of the physical key fob, a user would be unable to access an account until a replacement is received.